Method of operating plunger lift apparatus



May 14, 1935. N. HRICKER METHOD OF OPERATING PLUNGER LIFT APPARATUS 'File'd Feb; 13, 1952 NORMAN H RiCKER INVENTOR ATTORN EY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF OPERATING PLUNGER LIFT APPARATUS Norman H. Ricker, Houston, Tex., 'assignor to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application February 13, 1932, Serial No. 592,825

2 Claims.' (Cl. 103-5) My invention relates to the operation of IS and the eduction tube I above the liquid, thus plunger lift devices in wells having a small proreducing the atmospheric pressure within the duction only and where no appreciable amount of tube so that the air pressure upon the lower side gas is produced in the well. of the plunger in the well tube will be sufficient 5 In deep wells whose daily production is small to raise the plunger 6 with a small load of liquid 5 I contemplate obtaining a pressure differential upwardly in the tube to the surface. The liquid between the interior of the eduction tube and will there be dischar to t e container 9 and the surface of the liquid in the well so that there the plunger will move into the closed upper end will be sulficient excess of fluid pressure on said of the tube I, where the valve will open and the 10 liquid to raise a comparatively small load to the plunger will drop back to repeat its operation. 10 surface. The manner in which the device works is not In doing this I allow full atmospheric pressure materially different from the workin o e usual to be exerted on the liquid at the well bottom plunger lift installation with the exception and then partially exhaust the air in the educthat the pressure differential necessary to lift tion tube above the liquid therein so that the the plunger and its load is obtained by de- 15 excess of air pressure below will be great enough creasing the pressure in the tube above the load to raise the plunger with a small load of liquid. rather than by increasing the pressure below In the drawing Fig. I shows a side view, somethe load. This idea is of value particularly what diagrammatic, of a well installation in which where the rate of production from a well is small,

my invention may be carried out. although its use is manifestly not confined to such 20 Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the interior wells. It will make it possible, however, for the well equipment which is used. liquid to flow into the well unimpeded by a back In the usual plunger lift equipment the well pressure thereon from the pressure fluid ordinareduction tube I extends from the surface downily employed, and thus will enable said old wells wardly within the casing 2. At the lower end the to be pumped where otherwise it would be difli- 25 said tube has a strainer plug 3 which extends cult to do so. In Fig. 2 the plunger is falling. into the liquid to be pumped. Above the plug 3 when the valve stem 5 engages the stop 4 the valve is a stop 4 against which the valve stem 5 on the will close, shutting off the load of liquid above it plunger 6 may strike to close the valve at the from the liquid below. The liquid in the well lower end of its stroke. drops back and the atmospheric pressure enter- 30 The plunger is of common construction with a ing the openings at 3 below the plunger exerts body 6 having a valve seat I against which the a pressure on the plunger and its load in excess upwardly closing valve 8 may engage. Said valve of the reduced pressure above the plunger and is supported in open position by the support 9 at the plunger thus is caused to move upwardly with the lower end of the plunger. its load to the surface. 35

The casing 2 may extend above the platform What I claim as new is: I!) of the derrick H. The flow head I2 thereon, l. A method of raising liquid from wells havhas an air inlet [3 which may have a foraminated ing an eduction tube therein comprising introstrainer member I4 thereon to keep out foreign ducing a barrier below a load of liquid in said matter. This inlet to the casing allows atmostube, reducing the air pressure in said tube above 40 pheric pressure to be exerted in the well upon said load, providing for full atmospheric pressure the liquid [5 therein. on the liquid outside said tube and below said The upper end of the eduction tube extends barrier, and thus raising said barrier with its above the flow head and has a fluid tight fit with load by atmospheric pressure. the bonnet I6 thereof. A cap I! closes the end 2 A method of raising liquid from wells hav- 45 of the tube. ing an eduction tube therein comprising introduc- The fluid outlet from the tube and flow head ing a barrier below a load of liquid in said tube, is shown at l8 leading to a closed container is, withdrawing air from said tube above said load, the upper end of which is connected by a pipe and employing the excess of pressure due to atto an air pump 22. A pipe 2! at the lower end mosphere exerted in the well below said barrier to 50 allows the liquid to discharge to the tank 23. raise said barrier and'said load in said tube.

With this arrangement I am enabled to exert a suction or partial vacuum within the container NORMAN H. RICKER. 

